Traction instrument for a dental matrix band



March 1, 1966 a. F. TOFFLEMIRE 3,237,307

TRACTION INSTRUMENT FOR A DENTAL MATRIX BAND Filed Dec. 16, 1963 Y a /Dizzy ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,237,307 TRACTION INSTRUMENT FOR A DENTAL MATRIX BAND Benjamin F. Tofilemire, Lafayette, Calif. (41, 301 Crest Drive, Hernet, Calif.) Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,756 2 Claims. (Cl. 3263) The present invention relates to improvements in a traction instrument for a dental matrix band. It consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown a new type of a dental matrix band that may be looped and constricted around a patients tooth, the band defining a pair of arms extending from an arcuate central portion, and the terminal outer ends of the arms being provided with traction instrument-engaging abutments or stops which are made to coact with slotted heads of a traction instrument for exerting a straight pull on the arms of the band when constricting the latter.

An object of the invention is to provide a traction instrument that .is particularly designed for receiving my new dental matrix band, the instrument being made to be applied to either the buccal or lingual aspect of the patients teeth, and which may be readily actuated so as to exert the necessary force for drawing the band into firm contact with the surface morphology of the patients tooth.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds. The novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

[FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the dental matrix band;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the plane 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an occlusal view disclosing the traction instruments as being applied to the buccal aspect of a Detailed description Referring now to the drawing, I shall first describe the dental matrix band indicated generally at A having an arcuate central portion and a pair of arms 11 extending from the ends of the arcuate central portion, each arm defining a terminal tip 12 at its outer end. The band is made of a strip of pliable material and has an inner face 13 disposed to embrace the surface morphology of a patients tooth B, when the strip is looped and constricted around the tooth, as shown in FIGURE 3. Moreover, the strip has an outer face 14 extending the length of the strip.

It will be noted that a pair of traction instrument-engaging abut-ments C, or stops, are provided on the terminal tips 12 of the arms 11 to ext-end at substantially 3,237,307 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 right angles relative to the lengths of these arms. These abutments project in lateral directions beyond the inner and outer faces 13 and '14, respectively, as clearly disclosed in FIGURE 2.

Each abutment C defines a tubular end 15 on the strip that surrounds and embraces a rod 16, the tubes being fixed to their respective rods by any suitable means, such as spot welding 17. The abutments are disposed at substantially right angles relative to the lengths of the arms 11.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the arms 11 may be arranged in overlapping relation with one another with the loop 18 encircling the patients tooth B, and a matrix band retaining clamp D may be placed on the arms 11 adjacent to the loop 18. This clamp is more fully illustrated in my United States Patent No. 3,046,659, dated July 31, 1962.

For the purpose of constricting the dental matrix band A around the patients tooth B, I have provided a traction instrument designated generally at E, forming the subject matter of this invention, the details of which will now be set forth.

The traction instrument E has a pair of spaced slotted heads 19 mounted for movement toward and away from one another. Each of these slotted heads defines a slot 20 in which the overlapped end portions or arms 11 of the looped matrix band A may be positioned, with the loop 18 of the band selectively projecting from either slotted head for encircling the patients tooth B. The selected slotted head 19 from which the loop 18 projects may be referred to as the proximal head and it is adapted to 'be arranged adjacent to the loop on either the buccal aspect 21 of the banded tooth or on the lingual aspect 22 of the tooth. The other slotted head may be disposed remote from the loop 18 and may be referred to as the remote head and it is adapted to have the outer terminal ends 12 of the overlapped end portions of the band anchored thereto by means of the abutments C, as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

Moreover, the traction instrument E embodies means that are operable for spreading the slotted heads 19 apart to thereby constrict the loop 18 of the matrix band A around the banded tooth B, and such means will now be described in detail. For this purpose, a longitudinal operating spindle 23 is provided and having a knob 24 thereon that extends mesially, that is, toward the front of the patients mouth so as to be accessible for turning by the operator.

It will be noted that front and rear blocks 25 and 26, respectively, are supported on the operating spindle 23, with the front block being threaded on the spindle, preferably by left-hand threads 27. The rear block has a bore 28 through which the spindle extends, and a pair of collars 29 are fixed to the spindle on opposite sides of the block 26 so as to hold the spindle 23 against endwise movement. Thus the blocks 25 and 26 may be moved to Ward and away from one another by turning the knob 24.

Moreover, the traction instrument E has two pairs of toggle links 30 arranged to provide a substantially diamond-shaped frame, with one pair of toggle links being disposed on each lateral side of the operating spindle 23. The outer ends of the toggle links 30 are swingably secured to the blocks 25 and 26 by journal pins 31, and the inner ends of each pair of toggle links are swingably secured to one another by journal pins 32.

Each slotted head 19 is secured by the journal pins 32 to the inner ends of one pair of the toggle links 30, and these slotted heads are disposed at opposite apexes of the diamond-shaped frame, whereby the slotted heads may be spread apart to thereby constrict the loop 18 of the matrix band A around the banded tooth B by rotating the knob in a clockwise direction, since this rotation will efiect a movement of the blocks 25 and 26 toward one another.

In FIGURES 4 to 6, inclusive, I have shown a tubular sleeve 33 as being fixed to one of the slotted heads 19 and a rod 34 is fixed to the other slotted head. This rod is slidably disposed in a bore 35 of the tubular sleeve to thereby guide the slotted heads 19 for rectilineal movement, when the diamond-shaped frame is contracted or expanded.

When applying the dental matrix band A to the traction instrument E, the overlapped end sections or arms 11 of the band are inserted edgewise into the slots 20 of the slotted heads 19, and the abutments or stops C on the outer terminal ends of the band are placed adjacent to the remote slotted head 19, as clearly shown in FIGURE 3. The retaining clamp D is placed between the traction instrument E and the loop 18 of the dental matrix band.

After the loop 18 has been drawn into firm contact with the banded tooth B by operating the traction instrument E, the retaining clamp D may be crimped upon the overlapped end portions 11 of the band by utilizing the crimping pliers shown in my United States Patent No. 3,105,402, dated October 1, 1963. Now the knob 24 may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction so that the diamond-shaped frame of the traction instrument E will be contracted. At this time, the traction instrument may be removed from the patients mouth, and the clamp D will hold the loop 18' in firm contact with the banded tooth. The ends 11 of the band may be sheared off, or they may be folded so as not to interfere with the comfort of the patient.

After the prepared cavity 36 in the patients tooth B has been packed with filling, the clamp D may be readily removed from the dental band A by utilizing the releasing pliers shown in my United States Patent No. 3,041,- 729, dated July 3, 1963.

It will be appreciated that by arranging the abutments C so that they project in lateral directions beyond the inner end outer faces 13 and 14, respectively, a straight pull may be applied to the terminal tips 12 without any tendency of the tips to twist as the slotted heads 19) are spread apart.

I claim:

1. In a traction instrument for a dental matrix band:

(a) proximal and remote slotted heads mounted for movement toward and away from one another;

(b) each of the slotted heads defining a slot in which overlapped end portions of a looped matrix band may be positioned, with the loop of the band projecting from the proximal slotted head;

(0) the proximal slotted head being adapted to be arranged adjacent to the loop;

(d) the remote slotted head being adapted to have outer terminal ends of the overlapped end portions of the band anchored thereto;

(e) a longitudinal operating spindle having front and rear blocks supported thereon, at least one of these blocks being threaded on the spindle, whereby the blocks may be moved toward and away from one another when the spindle is rotated;

(f) two pairs of toggle links arranged to provide a substantially diamond-shaped frame, with one pair of toggle links being disposed on each later-a1 side of the operating spindle;

(g) the outer ends of the toggle links being swingably secured to the blocks, and the inner ends of each pair of toggle links being swingably secured to one another;

(h) each slotted head being secured to the inner ends of one pair of the toggle links, and the slotted heads being disposed at opposite apexes of the diamondshaped frame, whereby the slotted heads may be spread apart by rotating the spindle.

2. The traction instrument for a dental matrix band,

as set forth in claim 1;

(i) and in which a tubular sleeve is fixed to onev of the slotted heads and a rod is fixed to the other slotted head;

(j) the rod being slidably disposed in a bore of the tubular sleeve to thereby. guide the slotted heads for rectilineal movement toward and away from one another when the diamond-shaped frame is contracted and expanded, respectively.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,163,196 12/1915 Angle 3263 "2,152,877 4/1939 Dagavarian 3263 2,964,847 12/ 1960 Toffiemire 32-63 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. HINEY, 111., Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TRACTION INSTRUMENT FOR A DENTAL MATRIX BAND; (A) PROXIMAL AND REMOTE SLOTTED HEADS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER; (B) EACH OF THE SLOTTED HEADS DEFINING A SLOT IN WHICH OVERLAPPED END PORTIONS OF A LOOPED MATRIX BAND MAY BE POSITIONED, WITH THE LOOP OF THE BAND PROJECTING FROM THE PROXIMAL SLOTTED HEAD; (C) THE PROXIMAL SLOTTED HEAD BEING ADAPTED TO BE ARRANGED ADJACENT TO THE LOOP; (D) THE REMOTE SLOTTED HEAD BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE OUTER TERMINAL ENDS OF THE OVERLAPPED END PORTIONS OF THE BAND ANCHORED THERETO; (E) A LONGITUDINAL OPERATING SPINDLE HAVING FRONT AND REAR BLOCKS SUPPORTED THEREON, AT LEAST ONE OF THESE BLOCKS BEING THREADED ON THE SPINDLE, WHEREBY THE BLOCKS MAY BE MOVED TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER WHEN THE SPINDLE IS ROTATED; (F) TWO PAIRS OF TOGGLE LINKS ARRANGED TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY DIAMOND-SHAPED FRAME, WITH ONE PAIR OF TOGGLE LINKS BEING DISPOSED ON EACH LATERAL SIDE OF THE OPERATING SPINDLE; (G) THE OUTER ENDS OF THE TOGGLE LINKS BEING SWINGABLY SECURED TO THE BLOCKS, AND THE INNER ENDS OF EACH PAIR OF TOGGLE LINKS BEING SWINGABLY SECURED TO ONE ANOTHER; (H) EACH SLOTTED HEAD BEING SECURED TO THE INNER ENDS OF ONE PAIR OF THE TOGGLE LINKS, AND THE SLOTTED HEADS BEING DISPOSED AT OPPOSITE APEXES OF THE DIAMONDSHAPED FRAME, WHEREBY THE SLOTTED HEADS MAY BE SPREAD APART BY ROTATING THE SPINDLE. 